Modern Bodybuilding, Natural Bodybuilding, or Classic Physique Building: Which Would You Choose?

(Top Photo: Natural Bodybuilder Dave Goodin; Middle Photo: Roid-based Bodybuilder Kai Greene; Bottom Photo: CPB Champ Steve Reeves)

Here is a letter from a CPB Subscriber who describes a recent conversation he had with his friends. How many of you have had similar encounters and experiences? If so, let us know!

"Hello...I had a conversation with a couple of friends that I felt you may find interesting.

A bodybuilding buddy of mine brought over a bunch of photos from the Arnold Classic to my house yesterday. He loves modern day bodybuilding and loves to defend it whenever I bring up issues like gh gut, no proportions, etc... Anyways, my girlfriend had some friends over so I showed them pictures of Kai Greene, a random natural BB'er, and Steve Reeves. I asked them which physique they found the most attractive (not necessarily from a sexual perspective!). They all went with Reeves. They all agreed that Kai looked absolutely disgusting (and for gags, I played his posing routine. We had a great laugh!). They also said that the natural guy looked way too shredded - "it looks awkward." They kinda melted at the Reeves photo saying that he had the perfect combination of mass and definition. This started a bit of a debate between my friend and I.

My friend refuses to believe that the classic physique will ever make its way back to mainstream bodybuilding. The idea does not seem far fetched at all to me. In fact, I think the more "freak show" modern bodybuilding becomes, the more essential a return to proportions and aesthetics will become. It's like how female bodybuilding got so out of hand that they developed the figure division to bring back proportions and an overall feminine physique. I think the same will happen in men's bb'ing. They will have to develop a "fitness" division to try and attract new followers. I can only hope that they use the Classic Ideals as their judging criteria!

Just a thought I would share." - Mark, from Canada

Well.....What do you think? Have you had encounters/conversations like this with your friends? If so, then share your experience with us! I somehow think that this kind of reaction (to modern bodybuilding and even natural bodybuilding) is not uncommon and when faced with the clear choice of Reeves versus a roid-based modern bodybuilder, regular people will choose a classic physique like Reeves every time! And if this is the case, then who really reflects the MAINSTREAM OF THE PUBLIC, a Reeves or a Green, Cutler, or Coleman? Perhaps we (CPB'ers) should not concede the term "mainstream bodybuilding" to the roid-users!

- CPB

P.S. For a free 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder Zine (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine" (do-it-yourself magazine) patterned after the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s) - just email your name, the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We don't share info/data with anyone. So you won't get on any unwanted lists or receive any unwanted, automated email or spam (even from us!).

Classic Physique Building: Rethinking Size!

(Photo Above: Monty Wolford - Mr. Southwest 1949, Mr. Los Angeles 1951, Mr. Venice Beach 1951)

Perhaps the most destructive aspect of roid-based, mainstream bodybuilding today is its glorification of extreme, unnatural size! When some unfortunate person begins to accept the propaganda of the mainstream, roid-based magazines that Hulk-like physiques are something to admire and attain, then sooner or later this necessitates an acceptance of the associated, unhealthy, "drug/pharmaceutical culture" that makes such extremism possible.

Fortunately, in pre-roid Golden Age Classic Physique Building (of the 1940s and 50s), there was no glorification of extreme size! Instead, the goal was to attain an aesthetically-pleasing size and symmetry that was reminiscent of the beauty of the statues of the Ancient Greek and Roman gods! This necessitated an acceptance of a "culture of health and vitality" - which is why Reeves and the other champs of the pre-roid Golden Age (of the 1940s and 50s) were proud of their health and strength as well as their physiques! (Reeves would often say that his goal was to be the healthiest person alive!) What a difference in goals and cultures!

For classic physique builders of the Golden Age and today, this freedom from being obsessed with extreme size is liberating! Why? Because our size goals are realistic and attainable while pursuing health and vitality at the same time! Take a look at the photo above of the great Monty Wolford. This photo appeared in Fall 2009 issue of Classic Physique Builder (CPBzine). Who would not want a physique like his? It is healthy, full of vitality, with classic muscular size and symmetry! Is this kind of physique attainable and realistic? Let's look at his measurements:

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 168 lbs
Neck: 16"
Arms: 16"
Calves: 16"
Chest: 44"
Forearm: 12.5"
Waist: 28.5"
Thigh: 23.5"
Wrist: 6.6"

Monty did not need 18 inch arms like Reeves to look great. Why? Reeves was 6'1", Monty was 5 inches shorter. So to achieve a classic physique like Reeves, Monty's measurements needed to be smaller to match his height (and bone structure).

Neither Reeves or Wolford obssessed about extreme size. What for anyway? Do you want to look like a cartoon (i.e., "The Hulk") or would you rather look like a Greek god?! For modern classic physique builders (CPB'ers), the choice is not a hard one. Reeves and Wolford pursued classic size & symmetry, health and vitality! So do we!

So to achieve your classic physique, you need to follow a "culture of health and vitality" along with following pre-roid Golden Age methods of proper training, proper nutrition, proper rest, and persistence. Such a "culture of health and vitality" is not only good for the body, but it is good for your spirit and character and will set you apart and enable you to be a good example for others. In this way, classic physique building not only benefits you, but also will have a positive effect on those around you. What more could you ask for?

- CPB

P.S. For a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder zine (CPBzine) - a pdf zine (do-it-yourself magazine) patterned after the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (of the 1940s and 50s), just email your name, the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We don't share info with anyone. So you won't get on any unwanted lists or receive unwanted, unsolicited, automated email - even from us!

Classic Physique Definition: Principles and Practices!

(Photo Above: CPB Champ Leo Robert - Mr. Canada 1951, Mr. Universe - Pro 1955)

One of our CPB Readers asked how the pre-roid Golden Age champs achieved their definition without doing all the cardio that is popular today. This is an important question because the time will come, in building a classic physique, when you will want to improve your definition. So it is important to understand the principles and practices that they used.

First, we should re-emphasize that classic physique definition of the pre-roid Golden Age was different than the "ripped, shredded, cadaver-like" look of today. The ideal of that age (the 1940s and 50s) was to have a classic physique that "radiated with vitality and the glow of health." For this look, the muscles had to be defined, yet there had to be a higher level of bodyfat (compared to modern bodybuilders) in order to provide the skin with that radiant look of vitality and health. So they (classic physique builders and judges) were not impressed by straited gluts and seeing every subcutaneous vein. The definition they admired still recalled the muscularity seen in the ancient classical Greek sculptures of the gods and heroes.

The following list is an incomplete list of principles and practices that the pre-roid Golden Age champs used in order to achieve their classic definition. These principles and practices would have been used differently by each individual depending on their circumstances (e.g., whether they "bulked" up and needed to "trim down" or whether they stayed in shape and simply wanted to improve their muscularity a bit). So please don't think that they necessarily used all these principles at the same time. Feel free to discuss these principles and practices in our comments section. It is the comments of the CPB Readers that really enrich CPB Blog!

Here is the partial list:

1. Cut calories and lower carbs (especially starchy foods and any foods considered fattening)
2. Use a very low carb diet (Vince Gironda's approach)
3. Use a higher rep range on exercises (e.g., 12-15 reps per set)
4. Cut down the rest time between sets and exercises
5. Increase the number of exercises and sets per body part
6. Some champs did add running to their exercise regimen (this was not a universal practice)
7. Switch from a 3 day per week full body schedule to a 4, 5, or 6 day split a few weeks before a contest
8. Train with chest expanders (steel cable exercisers)
9. Take a vitamin-mineral supplement
10. Reduce salt intake
11. Don't eat between meals
12. Avoid excessive rest and do not take naps
13. Be more active in general

Again, this is a partial list (gathered from the muscle mags and courses of the pre-roid Golden Age). But it gives you a good idea. They didn't need high tech "fat burning/thermogenic" supplements or intense, daily "cardio" sessions, roids, or even extreme diets (except in the case of Vince and his very low carb approach). You will notice that their principles and practices also didn't cost a lot of money! Theirs was a simple and effective approach and left them with physiques that looked great and healthy! What more could any classic physique builder want!

- CPB

P.S. For a free 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine" (do-it-yourself magazine) patterned after the muscles mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s) - just email your name, the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We don't share info with anyone, so you won't get on any unwanted lists or receive any unwanted, automated email (even from us!).

Classic Physique Building and the Classic Ideal!

(Photo Above: Jack Delinger, Mr America 1949, on the cover of of the Aug 1955 issue of Muscle Power magazine)

In previous posts, we have talked about the "classic ideal" which is central to classic physique building. But just what is the "classic ideal"?

The "classic physique ideal" refers to the specific characteristics of a classic physique. But the term "classic ideal" is broader than that. It refers to the ethic and values underlying our activity of classic physique building. It is the "classic ideal" which sets "classic physique building" apart from "modern, mainstream bodybuilding."

Perhaps we can best state it this way. The "classic ideal" values:

(1) the physiques of ancient classical and hellenistic Greece
(2) physique building as part of a healthy lifestyle ("physical culture")
(3) the idea of beauty (aesthetics) in the male physique
(4) the goal of pursuing natural, physical perfection (as a balance of muscular size, shape, symmetry, and muscularity)
(5) the development of the mind and character as well as body.

If you examine these components of the "classic ideal," the difference between classic physique building and modern, mainstream bodybuilding quickly becomes clear.

The modern, mainstream bodybuilding world has lost its connection with and affinity for the physiques of ancient Greece. The "champs" of the modern, mainstream bodybuilding world can no longer be looked upon as exemplars of health or a healthy lifestyle. The modern, mainstream bodybuilding world pursues "extreme size and definition" instead of aesthetics in the male (and now even in the female) physique. Their idea of "physical perfection" is no longer natural, but instead it is chemically-based. Finally, there is little to no attention paid to the development of the mind and character and their "champs" do not have the same sense of having to be "good role models."

This is why "classic physique building" and "modern, mainstream bodybuilding" are two different things. So if someone ever asks you "What is the difference between classic physique building and modern bodybuilding?", you can simply say "the classic ideal"!

- CPB

P.S. Note the evidence of the classic ideal in the above cover of Muscle Power magazine from the Golden Age of Classic Physique Building. You won't see that in today's muscle mags!

Classic Physique Building vs Bodybuilding

Photos above: Flex (mainstream bodybuilding mag) and Muscle Power (classic physique building mag from the Golden Age)

If you visit the mainstream bodybuilding sites, blogs, and forums, you certainly find many people who value the classic physique ideal and long to see a return to it in the world of mainstream bodybuilding. However, sad to say, that will most probably never happen!

Since the advent of steroids, mainstream bodybuilding has evolved into what is now an EXTREME SPORT. It has succumbed completely to the spectre of GIGANTISM that was warned against by the magazine writers of the Golden Age. The main value of modern bodybuilding has become "SIZE AT ALL COSTS." Thus, mainstream bodybuilding can no longer be considered a healthy activity. How can it be healthy to carry so much body mass and to ingest/inject steroids, HGH, insulin, etc, in order to do it? Yet all of the mainstream bodybuilding mags hold up and promote this value! Apparently the SHOCK and ENTERTAINMENT value of GIGANTISM over-rides all other considerations.

Certainly, the mainstream bodybuilding mags may occasionally give lip service to the classic physique ideal. But even those who try to engage in "natural bodybuilding" are marginalized. The "juicing affecionados" in the mainstream forums will easily tell anyone "this is not the 1940s or 50s anymore" - as if the mainstream, drug-ridden world of bodybuilding is so much of an improvement! Perhaps in their eyes, it is.

Well...to each his own. If this is what the mainstream bodybuilding world has become and will continue to be, then so be it. We do not have to follow. We should perhaps grant them the term "bodybuilding" because this term has now become so closely associated with "steroids and drugs" - so much so that "bodybuilding" is now perceived by the public as an unhealthy activity.

Instead, we will use the term CLASSIC PHYSIQUE BUILDING to describe our activity. For us, it is still effectively the 1940s and 50s (the Golden Age) - because we today (as in those times) endeavor to build our bodies naturally to achieve a healthy, aesthetically-pleasing, classic physique. The human body has not changed since the Golden Age, so the methods they perfected then to build classic physiques can be used just as well today!

Some of the tools (e.g. "weights") and principles (e.g., progressive resistance/overload) of "classic physique builders" may be similar to those of the mainstream "bodybuilders," but our training and ultimate goals are very, very different. We have our own classic physique goals, role models, training methods and tools. They have theirs. We lay claim to the Golden Age when bodybuilding was truly "classic physique building." They have all but forgotten their own history and see little value in it.

So let there be no confusion. We are interested in CLASSIC PHYSIQUE BUILDING not mainstream bodybuilding! The mainstream bodybuilding world has little to offer us. Let them go their own way! Together, we followers of the classic ideal must create our own sane and healthy world. We offer Classic Physique Builder as a first step toward this goal! - CPB